Natural gas possible cause of Fond du Lac explosion

Apr. 11, 2013

FOND DU LAC — An elderly woman received minor injuries this morning when a duplex near the Highway 151 Bypass and Fourth Street Road exploded shortly before 5 a.m.

The woman lived in a home adjacent to the home that exploded at 340 Twilight Trail. She was taken by ambulance to St. Agnes Hospital where she was treated and released, a Fond du Lac Fire Department spokesman said.

Fond du Lac Assistant Police Chief Steve Klein said the dispatch center received several calls from residents reporting an explosion near Holy Family Catholic Community Parish about 4:55 a.m. Thursday.

“The explosion was so loud that even officers at the police department downtown heard it,” Klein said.

The duplex is in a small subdivision just east of the bypass and north of Fourth Street Road. Klein said the duplex was under construction and owned by Signature Homes Properties.

General Manager of Adashun Jones/Signature Homes Glenn Elmer said the unit was unoccupied at the time of the explosion. He said he was told the cause of the explosion was likely a natural gas leak.

“The unit that exploded was a unit that was owned by a customer, but was not occupied yet,” Elmer said. “They were in the process of moving in.”

The structure is considered a total loss, Elmer said. Elmer said Signature Homes plans to rebuild immediately.

“We’re just thankful (the owners) weren’t home and it’s only property damage at this point,” Elmer said.

Klein said one-half of the duplex was “completely gone” and the other side sustained significant structural damage.

Alliant Energy turned off the gas to the unit so police and fire investigators could determine the cause of the explosion, Klein said.